support 1 of 2

support

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to maintain
to pay the living expenses of a young widow supporting a sick mother as well as two small children on a teacher's salary

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to sustain
to hold up or serve as a foundation for pillars supporting the bridge

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea) studies that support the claim that red wine drinkers have a reduced risk of coronary disease and cancer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
6
7
8

Synonym Chooser

How is the word support different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of support are advocate, back, champion, and uphold. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," support is least explicit about the nature of the assistance given.

supports waterfront development

When could advocate be used to replace support?

While in some cases nearly identical to support, advocate stresses urging or pleading.

advocated prison reform

Where would back be a reasonable alternative to support?

In some situations, the words back and support are roughly equivalent. However, back suggests supporting by lending assistance to one failing or falling.

refusing to back the call for sanctions

When can champion be used instead of support?

The words champion and support are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, champion suggests publicly defending one unjustly attacked or too weak to advocate his or her own cause.

championed the rights of children

When is it sensible to use uphold instead of support?

While the synonyms uphold and support are close in meaning, uphold implies extended support given to something attacked.

upheld the legitimacy of the military action

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of support
Noun
The president achieved a slight majority of support from independents on deportations and 22% support from Democrats on the Southern border. Steve Liesman, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2025 Republicans moved to censure Green, a resolution that garnered support from just 10 Democrats, including Himes. Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
This atmospheric composition supported, but did not prove, the idea that K2-18b could be a hycean world. Daniel Apai, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025 Proceeds from the event support the Charlotte Museum’s mission to preserve the city’s history. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for support
Recent Examples of Synonyms for support
Noun
  • Unlike traditional one-and-done training sessions, these tools provide continuous reinforcement through scalable, on-demand coaching.
    Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
  • But a receiving group that struggled with drops last season still needs reinforcements.
    Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Bentonville police were able to access Hensley's cellphone with the assistance of his family and friends, and a witness provided details regarding fentanyl purchases involving Hill, the affidavit states.
    Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Document the encounter and seek assistance as soon as possible.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • On Tuesday, Travis was hailed as the 2025 Creators Leadership Award honoree at the annual Grammys on the Hill event, which pairs the music industry with Congress to advocate for artists’ rights.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The rundown included his trivialization of the outbreak, failure to strongly advocate for vaccination, promotion of unproven treatments, like cod liver oil, and delayed responses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which Kennedy controls.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This substantial commitment reflects the scale of investment required to maintain competitive positioning in the rapidly evolving AI infrastructure market.
    Maribel Lopez, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • She was released on probation, the terms of which required her to maintain an approved residential address.
    Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • One child who had sustained a head injury before the strikes took place died in the evacuation, the religious authority said.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
  • While no structures were damaged in the fire, firefighters sustained minor injuries.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • And the obsequious fealty shown to him by the Republican Party reinforces why a president running amok should never have this much power again.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • There are also questions about his logic justifying the policy.
    CBS News, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2025
  • As a result, the court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to either determine whether greenhouse gases from new vehicles contribute to climate change, and therefore endanger human health, or justify its refusal to study the issue.
    Hannah Wiseman, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But now, the SSA is changing that policy, which a White House official told CBS MoneyWatch is due to the rollout of anti-fraud software that will be able to identify anomalies and flag potential fraud when people verify their identities over the phones.
    Anne Marie Drummond Lee, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The most recent press release on the matter, dated March 26, announced that many claimants would no longer be able to verify their identity with the SSA by phone.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Support.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/support. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on support

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!